"Up at the crack of dawn" means nothing during most of a long Minnesota winter. My alarm went off at 5:15 a.m., around the time I usually think about getting out of bed, but of course it was long before 7:50 a.m. sunrise. It was also very cold when I put the trash and recycling out for the last time. About 0F, I think.
Uber driver picked us up at 6:30 on the dot. Very interesting guy who grew up in Sudan and Uganda, living through terrifying civil war as a young teenager. Came to Minnesota to attend to U, and recently, at age 42, returned to Sudan to meet the 26-year-old woman who will be his bride in a marriage arranged by the woman's uncle. The driver seemed a little doubtful about the prospect of an arrangedTrip marriage, but hopeful. He will return to Africa sometime soon to decide whether he really wants to go through with this. As always, I felt humbled by the obstacles faced by people who immigrate to this country. "Mashallah", he wished us in Arabic, when we told him that our son had recently been married. And then, in English, "God's blessings".
The flight was on time and uneventful. The sun shone for most of the flight, and we arrived at Miami International Airport not long after 1:00 p.m. We took a cab with a crazy driver who whizzed over the bridge and through heavy traffic in downtown, getting us to our destination in no time. Taking Bob's bag out of the trunk, he dislodged one of the wheels from the base, a repair to be executed with ever handy duct tape. Happy to be "home"!
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